Use your dominant hand to hold your chopsticks for the most control. Whichever hand you normally use for writing is the hand you’ll use to hold your chopsticks. You may feel like you’ll have more control if the point of the chopstick is closer to your fingers, but the proper way to hold them is to let the pointed ends extend out far past your fingertips.

If your chopsticks are crossed, you need to readjust how you’re holding them.

If you’re at home practicing, use tape to secure the bottom chopstick so that it can’t be moved. This will help you learn the right movements to move only the top chopstick.

Be patient with yourself as you learn to properly hold and use chopsticks! It can take a lot of practice but it’ll be worth it to be able to use them whenever you need to.

It’s okay if you grab the noodles in the middle—it can be hard to find the “end” or “top” of multiple strands of noodles and you don’t need to spend time on that.

Eating noodles can be a little messy, especially if the dish is served in a broth. Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting a little splattered with dripping broth.

If your dish is comprised of meat and noodles, don’t try and eat these items together. Rather, focus on alternating bites of noodle with bites of meat.

Slurping noodles fast and loudly is often seen as a sign of respect and shows that you’re enjoying the dish. Also, you don’t want your dish to get cold, so the faster you go, the better.

Using your chopsticks to continue guiding your noodles to your mouth can also help stop the broth or sauce from making too much of a mess.

The great thing about knowing how to use chopsticks to eat noodles is that you’ll be well-equipped to eat your meal no matter what! Even if there isn’t a soup spoon provided, you will still have the techniques to enjoy your dish.